U.S. Agency Warns Mozambique: No More Food Aid

PANA. 29 January, 1996.

MAPUTO, Mozambique (PANA) - THE United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) warned Mozambique Wednesday it
would halt all commercial food aid unless there was satisfactory
investigation into huge losses of maize in Maputo port towards
the end of 1995.

The exact amount that vanished is unknown. But the
initial figure given by the United States was 1,407 tonnes.
Maputo Port officials said that maybe "only" 500 tonnes was
missing.

The USAID Maputo office said Wednesday it wanted
investigators "to identify the individuals involved in removing
these commodities from the port."

It also wants the food recovered or for the individuals
involved to fully compensate the Mozambican government for the
losses. The agency is also asking for new procedures at the port
to safeguard all commodities.
"Losses of the magnitude suffered in the recent
deliveries of usaid-financed maize are clearly so large that they
must have required a high degree of organisation and planning
among the perpetrators of this crime," the agency said.

The United States is Mozambique's major food aid donor.
Yellow maize from the U.S. is a mainstay of Mozambique's
commercial food distribution system. This maize is sold, largely
to urban consumers and generates counterpart funds in local
currency, which make an important contribution to the Mozambican
state budget.

The Mozambian press has for many years reported on
corruption and negligence at Maputo Port.